scriptrix's review
Solid case of "I'm not the target audience for this," I think. This was basically Home Alone but if the house was a spaceship, and I think it would appeal more to middle grade readers than me, a crusty old Millennial.
kylielovesbooks's review
4.0
This book was so much fun.
I feel like sci-fi books set in space can have basically the same kind of plot line, but this one was unique.
I thought the friendship between Kyler and Fig was perfect. It was so innocent and fun to read. And that made it so much worse that we knew Fig was working for the bad guys the whole time (not a spoiler, we know this from the beginning). I think my favorite character was Cabe. I feel like the robots in sci-fi books are always the best characters!
The ending was great. Everything was perfectly wrapped up
I feel like sci-fi books set in space can have basically the same kind of plot line, but this one was unique.
I thought the friendship between Kyler and Fig was perfect. It was so innocent and fun to read. And that made it so much worse that we knew Fig was working for the bad guys the whole time (not a spoiler, we know this from the beginning). I think my favorite character was Cabe. I feel like the robots in sci-fi books are always the best characters!
The ending was great. Everything was perfectly wrapped up
e_knight's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
DNF, not my thing
libraryjen's review
4.0
Fig is a tough young Wanderer who's been on her own since her parents died a few years ago. When Fig accepts a contract to blow up a star for some rogue pirates she never dreams that she'll run into a young runaway human boy. Kyler is a nerdy misfit, even in his family he feels out of place, so when he discovers that he's stolen a spaceship in his sleep he doesn't turn around but keeps on going. Klyer's biggest dream is to see the Fasti Sun Festival and this might be his only chance. When the two meet they discover there's more to Fig's job and the Sun Festival than they know about. Despite their differences they will have to team up to save the world.
Melissa Landers gives us realistic and fun main characters whose friendship grows as they learn to respect each other and work together. Told in alternating POV's, the readers should be able to get a sense of both Ky and Fig and can relate to both. I found that I did relate to both, but sometimes the only reason I knew who was speaking was because of context and not a real difference in narrative voice. In other words, both POVs sounded the same, they seemed to view the action from the same place, despite their disparate backgrounds and culture. I would love to see a sequel to this book and that is one area that could definitely be improved. Another thing I'd love to see in a sequel is more about Kyler's family. They really are more stereotype and caricature in this book than fleshed out characters. But, they don't need to be for the plot line to work well.
This book was at times funny and touching with a lot of adventure thrown in the mix. It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this ebook from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Melissa Landers gives us realistic and fun main characters whose friendship grows as they learn to respect each other and work together. Told in alternating POV's, the readers should be able to get a sense of both Ky and Fig and can relate to both. I found that I did relate to both, but sometimes the only reason I knew who was speaking was because of context and not a real difference in narrative voice. In other words, both POVs sounded the same, they seemed to view the action from the same place, despite their disparate backgrounds and culture. I would love to see a sequel to this book and that is one area that could definitely be improved. Another thing I'd love to see in a sequel is more about Kyler's family. They really are more stereotype and caricature in this book than fleshed out characters. But, they don't need to be for the plot line to work well.
This book was at times funny and touching with a lot of adventure thrown in the mix. It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this ebook from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
kateteaching7and8's review
4.0
Blastaway by Melissa Landers is a fun new middle grades science fiction adventure book. Ky accidentally steals his family's space ship, while sleeping, after an argument with his family. When he wakes and realizes what has happened he decides to go and see the unveiling on an artificial sun (something he'd asked his parents to do, but they said no). There he meets Fig who is a Wanderer (or mutant, someone who descends from those who left Earth to live in space), an orphan, and a sharpshooter. Suddenly their worlds collide and they'll have to work together in order to save planet Earth from destruction.
This book is full of humor, action, and hi-jinks. One scene, where Ky's ship is attacked by pirates, reminded me very much of Home Alone and I LOVED it. I also loved the author's use of figurative language. My favorite line might just be: "Lucky for us, I mathed harder than a hurricane." I also love the message that this book sends about honesty/lying, family, and accepting others even of they're different from you.
This book is full of humor, action, and hi-jinks. One scene, where Ky's ship is attacked by pirates, reminded me very much of Home Alone and I LOVED it. I also loved the author's use of figurative language. My favorite line might just be: "Lucky for us, I mathed harder than a hurricane." I also love the message that this book sends about honesty/lying, family, and accepting others even of they're different from you.
reniareads's review
3.0
I won this book in a giveaway and I was so excited even though I never heard of this author. I didn't go in with high expectations, but still I did not like the characters and felt the plot was just just like every other space adventure story with a few extra quirks. I did like the character Kyler though.
kisahofswords13's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Ughhhhh I have so many feelings about this.
I wanted to make sure that I didn’t rate this down because I’m a 25yr old reading a middle grade novel. But I have some issues with it regardless of the target audience.
The timing is so confusing. On one hand, humans have had time to mutate but people are still reading Harry Potter? Also the colloquialisms really trap this book in the 2000’s.
The other biggg issue I have is the science. Now I have been known to be a bit pedantic about the science in SciFi but you can’t say things like “there’s no gravity in space” in a middle grade novel. It’s not true and can really confuse kids when it comes to science class. Often kids pick up information from books and I just. Little sentences like that make my job as a middle school science teacher so much harder.
I also found the story and the MC’s WILDLY improbable. Fig is 13 and running around space stations. I doubt it.
I don’t know. I also found the writing style annoying and the focus on farts obnoxious but. Middle grade novel. That I can’t rate down for 😂😂
I wanted to make sure that I didn’t rate this down because I’m a 25yr old reading a middle grade novel. But I have some issues with it regardless of the target audience.
The timing is so confusing. On one hand, humans have had time to mutate but people are still reading Harry Potter? Also the colloquialisms really trap this book in the 2000’s.
The other biggg issue I have is the science. Now I have been known to be a bit pedantic about the science in SciFi but you can’t say things like “there’s no gravity in space” in a middle grade novel. It’s not true and can really confuse kids when it comes to science class. Often kids pick up information from books and I just. Little sentences like that make my job as a middle school science teacher so much harder.
I also found the story and the MC’s WILDLY improbable. Fig is 13 and running around space stations. I doubt it.
I don’t know. I also found the writing style annoying and the focus on farts obnoxious but. Middle grade novel. That I can’t rate down for 😂😂
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying and Racial slurs
The slurs are fictional racism but. I think it’s still worth mentioningpussreboots's review
4.0
Were it not for the opening fifty pages or so, I would have rated Blastaway five stars. The opening, though, has a similar over the top whiny boy monolog of Made You Look by Diane Roberts (2003). What initially made me stick around was Fig's part of the story.
Through Fig we get the social commentary. Her story is one of child abuse, human (Wanderer) trafficking, institutional xenophobia, and other things that will ring true after the Trump years.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2021/comments_04/blastaway.html
CC6699 siblings home labyrinth
Through Fig we get the social commentary. Her story is one of child abuse, human (Wanderer) trafficking, institutional xenophobia, and other things that will ring true after the Trump years.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2021/comments_04/blastaway.html
CC6699 siblings home labyrinth
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